The Los Angeles Lakers entered the season with low expectations, putting emphasis on the growth of their young core as opposed to improving on their 17-win season last year. But through 11 games, the Lakers are 6-5 and look to be a completely different team from a year ago. So different that Nick Young believes this young group could not only surpass last year’s win total, but even make the playoffs in a competitive Western Conference.
“We think we could [make the playoffs] for sure if we continue to play how we’ve been playing,” Nick Young, who went from nearly being waived before the season to a vital contributor on both ends of the floor, told the L.A. Daily News.
The shift from Byron Scott’s outdated modes to Luke Walton’s fresh approach to the game has revitalized the team. As noted by Silverscreenandroll.com, The Lakers are currently 11th in offensive rating and 15th in defensive rating—tremendous jumps from their 29th and 30th rankings from Kobe Bryant’s last season. But more importantly, the Lakers are having fun while learning Walton’s new system.
The young group has responded well to Walton’s positive approach, where learning is continually emphasized—a massive shift from Scott’s tough love and refusal to nurture young talent. This has given players like second-year point guard D’Angelo Russell supreme confidence.
“We don’t want to just be a team that has a winning record,” D'Angelo Russell was quoted in the OC Register. “It’s not satisfying for u. I know we’re capable of being a playoff team. That’s the main focus.”
Walton, though, warned about where the team’s focus should be, saying, “If we start focusing on the playoffs and not the little things, then we won’t even be close to making the playoffs.”
The Lakers are currently sitting in the eighth spot in the Western Conference. ESPN’s preseason projections had the Lakers as the worst team in the conference.
